Device for preventing the fraudulent refilling of bottles.



F. C. HERBERT. DEVICE FOR PREVENTING THE FRAUDULENT REFILLING 0F BOTTLES.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 21, I913.

Patented May 25 F: C. f/ERBERT Arm/war m 7 M V M THE NORRIS PETERS CO, PHOT0-LITHO.. WASHINGIUN. D. C

FRANK CLAYTON HERBERT, OF HAMPSTEAD, LONDON, ENGLA'ATD.

DEVICE FOR PREVENTING THE FR Specification of Letters Patent.

AUDULENT REFILLING OF BOTTLES.

Patented May 25 1915.

Application filed. September 27, 1913. Serial No. 792,123.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, FRANK CLAYTON HER- BERT, a citizen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, and resident of 22 Roderick road, Mansfield Road, Hampstead, London, England, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in De vices for Preventing the Fraudulent Refilling of Bottles, of which the following is a specification, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to a stopper-like de vice for preventing the fraudulent refilling of bottles and refers to that type of device which can be applied to abottle and removed therefrom as a unit so as to be capable of repeated use with different bottles and without the necessity of breaking the bottles to remove the device and also without special preparation of the neck of the bottle.

My improved device is made of non-metallic substances such as porcelain and in that manner in which the parts are assembled together in raw state and the casing or outside parts are fixed to each other by firing while the valve inside is left free.

A. gravity valve is employed and is preferably of partial ball shape and of such size and weight that it will return to its seat when the bottle is turned from an inverted position before the bottle reaches the horizontal position, and no controlling weight is required to push or hold the ball on its seating.

The device is attached to the bottle neck by partial insertion therein and by suitable means such as an external metal sleeve of substantially known or suitable kind.

It will be seen from the above descriptions that the device will be very easily fixed in the neck of the bottle, it being necessary only to thrust it in as one would a stopper and secure it and thus the invention is applicable to practically any ordinary bottle having a neck sufficiently large to receive the device which will enable an ordinary bottle to be made into a non-refillable bottle by the simple insertion and securing of my device.

One stopper can be used an indefinite number of times and the initial cost is small.

In the accompanying drawings three views of that form of my invention which is designed to be placed upon the neck of an ordinary spirit bottle are shown, Figure 1 being a vertical section on line C-D of Fig. 2, and

Fig. 2 a cross section on line AB of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is an external view of the device.

For the purpose of showing the invention clearly and to differentiate same by reference letters I have differently section lined the device but it must be understood that the parts referred to as a, b and c are preferably to all intents and purposes integral, being made say of porcelain and pressed together to form a unit in manner well known to pottery manufacturers. The ball d is necessarily not integral with the other part or parts but is contained therein. The external capsule or sleeve 6 is of metal. The cradle or sleeve a has a flange f adapted to rest upon the top of the bottle neck and to provide also a suitable surface for joining it to the cap or upper part 6, within which is centrally set a body piece 0 connected by radial arms to the part b.

The sleeve a has a central aperture the sides g of which form the seat for the ball cl and inside the sleeve lugs h are arranged and act as guides for the ball d and form passages a for the outflow of liquid. The innermost end of the sleeve or cradle a is an nular and presents a wall j to the passages 71 between the lugs h the upper surfaces of I these walls are shown at a slight downward slope from the center toward the circumference so that a wire or the like inserted from the top and reaching as far as these walls is directed away from the ball which remains upon its seat and prevents the inflow of liquid. A. slight projection or pip 7c is left on the body 0 to prevent the body and the ball sticking together.

hat I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. In a device for preventing the fraudulent refilling of bottles, the combination of a cup-shaped cradle adapted to be seated in the bottle neck and provided on its inner face with spaced vertical ribs and at its bottom with a central opening forming an annular seat comprising a portion of a spherical surface, the outer edge of which is adjacent to the inner face of said ribs; a valve member comprising a portion of a sphere slightly greater than a hemisphere and adapted to seat snugly in said annular seat; and a cap joining the upper part of the cradle and provided with a central opening in its top and having in its lower part a cylindrical body held spaced from the walls projecting into said cradle to a level a slight distance above said ribs and vali e member and provided With a small central projection.

2. In a device for preventing the fraudulent refilling of bottles, the combination of, a bottle neck, a cup shaped cradle resting .on top of the bottle neck and projecting downwardly therein, and provided at the bottom With an annular seat forming a portion of a spherical surface; a valve member comprising a portion of a sphere greater than a Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Washington, I). 0.

hemisphere and resting in said seat; and a cap resting on the upper part of said cradle 5 In Witness whereof I have hereunto set my 20 hand in presence of two Witnesses.

FRANK CLAYTON HERBERT.

WVitnesses WILLIAM FREEsToNE, HENRY FAIRBROTHER.

Commissioner of Patents, 

